Remote Stagecoach/Tavern site -Quest(part 3) yields more old silver!

Mirage · Sep 4, 2007

Dan(Danimal and I) got an early start as we had a long drive and two different spots to hunt. As we traveled to hunt the old campground and stagecoach stop/tavern sites we discussed some other potential good sites(leads we had gotten from our last visit out to the remoter parts of Ohio). So when we arrived at the campground we talked with Joe(not his real name) about the other two old homes near the campground. He told us about them and volunteered to take us up there in his 4 wheel drive Kubota.

This is what we saw:

A little overgrown but looks promising. Of coarse Dan tasked Joe to get permission to hunt the place in the late fall/early spring.

Coming down:

We thanked Joe and told him we were off to the stagecoach stop and that we would be returning to hunt the camp later. Now the stagecoach stop/tavern we had hunted in March but with a fresh coating of 2-4” of snow. We had taken my van(no 4 wheel drive) and we couldn’t go “offroading”. So it was a grueling hike at the time. This time Dan took his Honda Element and we saved over half the hike. This was a walk in the park compared to what Don and I did two weeks ago.

Still a decent hike and our third hunting partner(Dan’s dog Growly) cooled off in the stream after we got down into the ravine where the stagecoach stop was:

It was a lot cooler in the ravine and I suggested that we look for two other structures that showed on the 1902 map about a ½ mile up the old road from where the stagecoach stop was. This turned out to be too much work and we gave up looking for them after about 30 minutes of hiking. :P So back to the first site. I left the house at 6:30 am but didn’t swing the coil until about noon. Twenty minutes into the hunt Dan makes a find:

Very sweet! Dan’s first Half Dime.

We exchange high fives, congratulatory remarks and all that stuff.

Then we get back to business. A few minutes later Dan gets another good signal. So what does he get but another Half Dime!

Dan also found a silver thimble:

So, Dan declares he is satisfied and ready to go to a place Joe had told him about while riding in the Kubota. The place he described was an 1800’s picnic grove with live “caged” animals. It really did sound too good to not check out. I told Dan I still had to find my Large Cent or old silver but after two hours of nothing but relics and junk we embarked on Phase 3 – Picnic grove hunt!
We had to hike out of the ravine, offroad back to the highway, find a toll bridge, etc… We found our way to the small toll bridge. A redneck was taking 75 cents to cross. Dan hands the guy a dollar. The guy just takes his money and offers no change. Dan says “change?”. The guy just shrugs. Dan got stiffed but he didn’t care. On the way back he gave the same guy 3 nice crusty quarters!

We found the place and it looked real promising with big old trees and structures where walls and such use to be. We searched and the only coin found was a shiney clad quarter on the surface. So, back to Joe’s camp to finish the day. Dan got the silver rosie and some wheats and I found the usual wheats, two mercs and a barber dime.

The dog pendant was found at the stagecoach stop and is most likely very old.

Overall it was a very successful hunt and I am glad Dan got some great keepers. He deserved it as he did all the research and secured permission to hunt this site.

Bob

IndianaSmith · Sep 4, 2007

Sweet finds! Looks like you guys' hard work really paid-off!

Congrats!
Smitty

piggman1 · Sep 4, 2007

SUPER FINDS!!! And some great pics. Looks like you earned everything you found. Way to go on some good research.

jimmatt_43 · Sep 4, 2007

Nice digs guys,good job on the research .
Jim

Boobydoo · Sep 4, 2007

Enjoyed the journey Bob and Dan.
Grat to you both on the cool finds.

If you don't get out there and try
you will never find the gooodies,
you two are some of the hardest workers here,
great adventure, thanks for sharing.

Congrats on the great finds,
especially the halfers!!

Smiles!
BDoo

Ridley · Sep 4, 2007

I feel like I went along too! Nice photos and the description of the days hunt was well told.

I hope you know Doug and I are taking notes on how to hunt like you guys do!

What a cool adventure and you both found some excellent coins. My favorite thing is the dog pendant.

Funny how you brought Growly with you. Very entertaining post!

Congratulations!

Ridley

Merf · Sep 4, 2007

Those are some great finds

and very good pics.
Congrats on an outstanding hunt.

ringfinder · Sep 4, 2007

Great, Great finds you two. Also great research work. I bet the heat just about got to you two guys. I think I would have been hunting in the creek with the dog. Remember what Gary found over our way this summer in a dried up Creek Bed. He found a 1788 Mexican Reale. I'd go back and try that creek with water or nothing in it. Gotta be some good find in it.

Now that Nate can't go with you, maybe Gary and I could come over and give you two a Hand. LOL

HH< Ringfinder

ashleen · Sep 5, 2007

Nice going, guys!
Congrats on all those great finds!
Does Growly get the dog pendant?
HH

Goldiver · Sep 5, 2007

Great story, photos and finds!

utah hunter · Sep 5, 2007

Cool post and pics, those half dimes are extremely cool. That is funny they are both the same year and one was minted in New Orleans. Now he has to get back out there and get the without arrow varieties

Thaks for the post...Ryan

flip · Sep 5, 2007

Nice finds. After seeing your post I had to check out back to make sure my dog was still there.

goldencoin · Sep 5, 2007

Cool finds and a great post

HH
-GC

Green1 · Sep 5, 2007

dudes !!!! great finds, great sites and great friends...
it don't get any better,, all finds were well deserved........ i woulda stayed in the first spot all day long........

Bertman · Sep 5, 2007

Great post Mirage... Enjoyed the story of the hunt (was almost like being there) and the great pics and finds...

HH Robert

Danimal · Sep 5, 2007

I know I said I wasn't gonna post for a while, but this hunt really was satisfying and I feel like saying a few things about it.
Never before had I felt such satisfaction from doing the research and legwork as I did last Saturday. Our first trip there was done in awful conditions and I fully expected to get back there a few more times. Like Bob already said, the hike in originally was brutal as we had to climb quite a way up and over a large ridgeline separating the road the Camp Meeting ground is on from the main roads close to the Ohio River. Many years ago there were dozens of these connector roads that switchbacked up the steeps hills but once roads improved and motorized travel started MANY of these connector roads were abandoned (along with the dwellings on them) as early cars just could not deal with the grades. Horses had no trouble pulling wagons up them and the remains of what we did find still showed deep ruts from the wagon wheels from long ago.
I was thankful for the decent ground clearance my Element had and all I had to do was straddle the ruts to keep the undercarriage from bottoming out. I don't think 4WD even kicked in as the ground was dry and traction excellent.
Now...with about 2 miles of rutted trail up the ridgeline behind us, all we had to do was descend into the ravine where we knew the remains of the Stagecoach stop stood. The debris field from this building is HUGE and buried brick and foundation stones seem to be endless here. Like Bob said we hiked further up the original wagon trail trying to find two more dwellings an old map showed existed. Besides the heat and steep grades, the areas where these houses should have been were Cambodian-like in the level of undergrowth. Even Growly was yelping as he continually got tangles in various vines, prickers and thistles (boy that was fun...I'm still finding burrs in his coat). I think either this Fall or next Spring I DO want to find those two houses when the growth subsides...as well as hunt the place "Bob" the Camp Meeting groundskeeper showed us after we get the go-ahead. THAT place is pre-civil war as well.
Back at the Stagecoach stop, the well is visible as well as several outbuilding foundations. Because of the amount of debris, I decided to concentrate on two wagon whells ruts that MUST have led right into the building (coach storage) as the ruts were not only visible, but the clay was only 6-8" under heavily compressed topsoil. I was glad I did. Both seated halfdimes were with ferrous items and the DFX gave me only a few whispers of high tones mixed in with the grumble of iron. I don't mask anything and listen to everything. I used to think it would drive me crazy...but I think I'm already there. The two coins were only 2-3 ft away from each other.One had a square nail with it, the other a small blob of rusted iron.
What I want to do next time is actually excavate an area around the well down to what I think was the original ground level. This will mean moving a LOT of brick and rock, but hey...what the hell. I figure between the building and the well HAS to be some coinage. I think...no...I KNOW there is a large cent or two or three there. We just have to do the work to find them. Even as it is...I think there's more good targets away from the debris if you go slow and are willing to bonk your coil off of all the crap laying around (that's how I found the silver thimble...right in the side of the main debris pile). I too love the dog pendant Bob found...Maybe he'll post a better closeup

Next time there I think I'm doing an all-dayer.
Here's a few more pics for mood.

Bob prepping as we unload the Element

The first Seated halfdime just outta the hole. Note the brick laying on the surface.

Bob, Growly and the Element on the top of the ridgeline on the way back to the car after scaling the drop to the Stagecoach stop remains.

Cleoseup of the day's silver on the truck's tailgate. The silver Rosie isn't pictured because it was so nasty it was with the clad I dug at the Camp Meeting grounds and I didn't realize it was silver until I was cleaning stuff off at home later.

Trips like this get the juices flowing for me. Not because of the finds...but because of the expectations of the finds and the history of the area. The maps Bob and I found of the area show a LOT of these abandoned connector roads and most have foundations. This could keep us busy for a long time.
Sorry of I offended anyone with my statement that I was done posting. I am not one to put up a facade. I was just saying how I felt. Sometimes though enthusiasm overrides that bad taste in your mouth.

HH all

Kas · Sep 5, 2007

Awesome guys. That half dime is on my wish list fo sure. Next time we get together, Bob, I think I'll bring an LC and throw it down on the ground in front of you, when you aren't looking of course.

Great story.
Good luck next trip.

Dig it-Ken

River Rat · Sep 5, 2007

Bob & Dan,

This is truly an amazing hunt. The outstanding research is paying off. Excellent pics, awesome finds. Thanks for taking us on the venture with you.

RR

utah hunter · Sep 5, 2007

Danimal said:
I know I said I wasn't gonna post for a while, but this hunt really was satisfying and I feel like saying a few things about it.
Never before had I felt such satisfaction from doing the research and legwork as I did last Saturday. Our first trip there was done in awful conditions and I fully expected to get back there a few more times. Like Bob already said, the hike in originally was brutal as we had to climb quite a way up and over a large ridgeline separating the road the Camp Meeting ground is on from the main roads close to the Ohio River. Many years ago there were dozens of these connector roads that switchbacked up the steeps hills but once roads improved and motorized travel started MANY of these connector roads were abandoned (along with the dwellings on them) as early cars just could not deal with the grades. Horses had no trouble pulling wagons up them and the remains of what we did find still showed deep ruts from the wagon wheels for long ago.
I was thankful for the decent ground clearance my Element had and all I had to do was straddle the ruts to keep the undercarriage from bottoming out. I don't think 4WD even kicked in as the ground was dry and traction excellent.
Now...with about 2 miles of rutted trail up the ridgeline behind us, all we had to do was descend into the ravine where we knew the remains of the Stagecoach stop stood. The debris field from this building is HUGE and buried brick and foundation stones seem to be endless here. Like Bob said we hiked further up the original wagon trail trying to find two more dwellings an old map showed existed. Besides the heat and steep grades, the areas where these houses should have been were Cambodian-like in the level of undergrowth. Even Growly was yelping as he continually got tangles in various vines, prickers and thistles (boy that was fun...I'm still finding burrs in his coat). I think either this Fall or next Spring I DO want to find those two houses when the growth subsides...as well as hunt the place "Bob" the Camp Meeting groundskeeper showed us after we get the go-ahead. THAT place is pre-civil war as well.
Back at the Stagecoach stop, the well is visible as well as several outbuilding foundations. Because of the amount of debris, I decided to concentrate on two wagon whells ruts that MUST have led right into the building (coach storage) as the ruts were not only visible, but the clay was only 6-8" under heavily compressed topsoil. I was glad I did. Both seated halfdimes were with ferrous items and the DFX gave me only a few whispers of high tones mixed in with the grumble of iron. I don't mask anything and listen to everything. I used to think it would drive me crazy...but I think I'm already there. The two coins were only 2-3 ft away from each other.One had a square nail with it, the other a small blob of rusted iron.
What I want to do next time is actually excavate an area around the well down to what I think was the original ground level. This will mean moving a LOT of brick and rock, but hey...what the hell. I figure between the building and the well HAS to be some coinage. I think...no...I KNOW there is a large cent or two or three there. We just have to do the work to find them. Even as it is...I think there's more good targets away from the debris if you go slow and are willing to bonk your coil off of all the crap laying around (that's how I found the silver thimble...right in the side of the main debris pile). I too love the dog pendant Bob found...Maybe he'll post a better closeup
Next time there I think I'm doing an all-dayer.
Here's a few more pics for mood.

Bob prepping as we unload the Element

The first Seated halfdime just outta the hole. Note the brick laying on the surface.

Bob, Growly and the Element on the top of the ridgeline on the way back to the car after scaling the drop to the Stagecoach stop remains.

Cleoseup of the day's silver on the truck's tailgate.

Trips like this get the juices flowing for me. Not because of the finds...but because of the expectations of the finds and the history of the area. The maps Bob and I found fo the area show a LOT of these abandoned connector roads and most have foundations. This could keep us busy for a long time.
Sorry of I offended anyone with my statement that I was done posting. I am not one to put up a facade. I was just saying how I felt. Sometimes though enthusiasm overrides that bad taste in your mouth.

HH all

DANIMAL!!!!! Good to hear from you! I am sure you don't have a clue who I am but I have always enjoyed you posts. I hope this means we get the privilege of hearing more from you in the near future. You mean too much to tnet not to be posting. Great finds, I don't know if I could get any sleep the next night after making finds like that.

GREAT JOB!

Ryan

Gypsy Heart · Sep 5, 2007

Once again you guys have shared a great hunt with us. Love the pics and the dog pendant. Thanks for always making your threads worth reading....over and over AGAIN!